Unwinding the Birth Pattern: For Infants and Adults with Lauren Christman

The process of being born is possibly one of the most vigorous events of our lifetime. It doesn’t matter how you are born — ‘normal’ positioning, with tilts or twists, breech, even cesarean — our body is designed to adapt to and recover from the forces during labor. Still this process leaves an imprint: the birth pattern. This pattern remains in the fascial layers, especially the dura, and the still-forming cranial bones. Later in life we can see that pattern reassert itself after physical injury — whiplash or concussion for example — and in times of high stress.

Unwinding, on a full body level, is a wonderful way to access and help balance this pattern. We will explore unwinding in an advanced way, beyond the basic ‘following’ that is the standard starting point of learning this technique. We will consider expansion, containment and biotensegrity dynamics from the practitioner’s role, as well as active and passive engagement from the client’s role (push/pull). Just as the baby plays an active role in getting born, the client can play an active role in resolving these whole-body strain patterns.

Students form practitioner dyads and triads — working with a co-practitioner is both highly therapeutic and deeply informative, and it enhances the perception of the practitioners and client

On the last day, students work with infants in pairs or trios depending on the number of volunteers available

Extended unwinding sessions, which are hard to do alone, help the client with deeply-rooted patterns and issues

Explore unwinding as a therapeutic tool in seated and standing positions

Bring the client through the ‘release’ phase of healing into the ‘engaged’ phase of upright, empowered stance

Review embryology, the birth passage and postpartum time from a fluid and fascial perspective

Explore the birth process as an imprint and/or metaphor for developmental changes throughout the life cycle

Prerequisite: Previous training in cranial or visceral work is preferable, but not necessary. Class activities will include table work, partnered exercises, multiple demos by instructor, lecture presentation and class discussion. On the third day, we will host a clinic with volunteer infants; if you have or know of infants who would be good candidates for this free clinic, please contact Lauren at: lauren@craftedtouch.com

Reviewers: If you have taken this class within the past 5 years, you may review this class for $225 if space is available! If you are a reviewer, please call 206.853.6875 to register.

Deposits and Registration Options: Payments can be made to the Therapeutic Training Center by cash, check or credit card. A deposit of $100 may be made to guarantee a spot as long as full payment is made by the first day of class. To make a deposit on the class, please call 206.853.6875 or follow the instructions for mailing in a check payment on the Policies webpage. Unfortunately, the website will not handle partial payments so deposits cannot be made online.

What to Bring: A flower; writing utensils and a journal/notebook; a sheet and a blanket; Please wear loose clothing for ease of movement since we will be using the massage tables, chairs and the floor in our classroom for technique.